Let me open this with a case study in irony. For the last 13 years of my life, I’ve bled scarlet and gray and conditioned myself to dislike anything associated with Michigan. I told myself I would never live in Michigan. I would never be friends with someone who goes to UM, and the only reason I would ever to go Ann Arbor is to watch Ohio State beat Michigan every other November. Then, I graduated from Ohio State, spent 6 months looking for a job, and ended up getting a fantastic job in the Detroit suburbs, one of my best friends is a student at UM, and I spent most of my Saturday in Ann Arbor playing golf and hanging out.

My first few days of this job were the typical on-boarding stuff: setting up accounts for the company software, setting up payroll and HR information, learning the basics of the company, etc. Sometimes you have to pass the time when you’re waiting on another session to start (or until 5:00 rolls around). That’s what this weekend is. It’s the on-boarding. Sure, there’s some interesting things stuff to do, but we’re waiting for 5:00 – or in this case, 8:00 on Monday night. So, let’s examine some things we can do to pass the time.

Michigan at Utah, Thursday September 3rd 8:30 – FoxSports1

Besides being the first major game of the season, this one is interesting because of the Harbaugh effect. I know every fan base has its crazy fans (Buck-I-Guy comes to mind within our own ranks), but the crazy Michigan fans are a special kind of crazy. People legitimately think they will win 10 games or even win a national title this season. This game will be very telling about not necessarily the season outlook for Michigan, but at least what kind of progress Harbaugh has made in getting that sinking ship back afloat. Utah will rely heavily on their returning running back, Devontae Booker, the 2014 Pac-12 second leading rusher. Michigan’s defense ranked 7th last season, and held Utah to 81 yards on the ground and no rushing touchdowns in the 2014 edition of this game. Can Utah get the ground game going this year, when the weather won’t create a marsh on the field? I’d like to think so.

#2 TCU at Minnesota Thursday September 3rd 9:00 – ESPN

The Horned Frogs are a trendy pick to make the playoffs and potentially win the title this year. With Heisman hopeful Trevone Boykin back for his senior season, TCU looks poised to have their best season since winning the 2011 Rose Bowl. While I expect TCU to win in Minnesota, leading receiver Josh Doctson has seen limited action in camp with an unknown injury, and may or may not play in the opener. Doctson caught 65 balls for over 1000 yards last season, and figures to be a key cog in the high-powered TCU offensive attack again this year. Minnesota, on the other hand, has to replace RB David Cobb and TE Maxx Williams, in an offense that relied on them heavily last season. Don’t expect another B1G Coach of the Year award for Jerry Kill this year.

#20 Wisconsin vs #3 Alabama Saturday September 5 8:00 – ABC

Will Alabama lose to two B1G teams in a row? Will Wisconsin beat both SEC teams from Alabama in back to back games? Will the SEC declare itself BACK BABY if Alabama wins? No, doubtful, and absolutely. Alabama has a bit of a QB battle on its hands (My guess is that Jacob Coker starts, but I’ve followed that QB battle much less than the one in Columbus). If one of the other signal callers gets the start (redshirt sophomore Cooper Bateman or redshirt junior Alec Morris), I’m inclined to think he’ll have a short leash should things not go well early in the game. However, as is tradition at Alabama, they have a stud running back Derrick Henry, who probably should have gotten the ball 10 more times in the Sugar Bowl if Alabama wanted a shot to beat Ohio State. Wisconsin, on the other hand, has to replace Melvin Gordon. The most likely candidate there is Corey Clement, a junior who had over 900 yards last season. Joel Stave returns at QB for the Badgers. Wisconsin rushed for 400 yards against the last SEC team they faced, but also gave up over 200 yards on the ground their last two games of last season. Wisconsin’s offensive line will have to clear some huge holes for Clement, and their front 7 will have to keep Henry in check. I expect Alabama to win, but I don’t think it will be a blowout.

So there are a few games to pass the time over the first weekend of college football. Buy your beer, prepare your meats for grilling, and get your couches comfort levels adjusted for the weekend, because it’s football season. Next week, I’ll review these games and look forward to a couple big games for the coming week.

Possible back-to-back national championships. Multiple Heisman Trophy contenders. First-ever unanimous No. 1 preseason ranking. Best quarterback situation in the history of college football. Won the title a year before expected. So many NFL draft picks on one team. Potential to be most explosive offense ever.

The offseason buzz surrounding the Ohio State football team has been deafening. Through no fault of its own, the Buckeyes have had an immense amount of hype surrounding it throughout the entire offseason and heading into the season-opening game against Virginia Tech on September 7. That’s what happens when an underdog team of talented albeit young players steamrolls through three top-15 opponents en route to becoming the first-ever undisputed national champion of the College Football Playoff era, and then returns 15 of 22 starters for an encore performance.

No matter how far Assistant AD for Football Sports Performance Mickey Marotti drilled the team into the ground with tough workouts, or how much emphasis the coaching staff has placed on eliminating the word “defend” from the team’s collective vocabulary – in terms of defending the national title – there’s a risk that all the pre-season hype was still too much to overcome.

Could the setbacks the Buckeyes have endured late in the offseason – both injuries and suspensions – actually be a silver lining for the team’s overall success this season?

First of all, hear me out – in no way can Noah Brown’s season-ending leg injury be viewed positively. He’s a collegiate student-athlete who had worked his tail off to be in a position to contribute to the team’s success, and it’s a shame that he won’t be able to join his teammates on the field this Fall. Similarly, the injury of Mike Weber, an emerging young talent, and the suspensions of Joey Bosa, Jalin Marshall, Corey Smith and Dontre Wilson in the opener cannot be interpreted as particularly helpful as the Scarlet and Gray look to open the season with a win in the hostile confines of Lane Stadium.

But, given all the hype that has been heaped upon the Buckeyes heading into season, it can be argued that these setbacks will ground the team – improve their focus, dial back inflated expectations, and erase any possible remnants of complacency that might have snuck into the players’ heads. Make no mistake, this Ohio State team is filled to the brim with talented players capable of beating Virginia Tech – and just about every team in the country – without all of their missing players, but the vibe has changed amongst Buckeye fans.

The key takeaway is that, for a team that thrived in the underdog role last season and has since been thrust into ‘favorite’ status, these setbacks have created doubt. Concern. Some anxiety. Despite the fact that OSU has a bevy of gifted four-star or five-star athletes to replace the players who won’t dress in Blacksburg, Virginia, their lack of actual experience or stats has some fans biting their nails. People are suddenly nervous that the remainder of our wide receiving corps that runs sub-4.5-second 40-year dashes won’t be able to haul in bombs from Cardale Jones or J.T. Barrett. Suddenly, Ohio State might not have a big body that is also quick enough to effectively rush the passer. Will Braxton Miller, the most electrifying athlete in college football – with the confidence to match it, not be able to make plays as an H-back against the vaunted Virginia Tech secondary?

And if Buckeye fans are feeling a bit of insecurity heading into the Virginia Tech game, it’s likely the players and coaches are too, even if they won’t admit it publically. And if a hint of insecurity reinforces the “Next Man Up” philosophy and sharpens the team’s preparation and attention to detail heading into the season, it can be said that there is a silver lining to the team’s offseason misfortunes.

As the number one team in the country, Ohio State is currently the “it” team of college football. However, while being the number one team is nice and dandy, their ranking is the reason that every single team they play this year will be gunning to knock them off their pedestal. For each team, there are always a few key players that can turn the tide and make the game very interesting. Let’s take a look at some of those players.

Virginia Tech: Dadi Nicholas and Ken Ekanem 

This game is interesting enough already because, in case you lived under a rock last year, you know Virginia Tech was Ohio State’s bump in the road to the National Championship. A big reason for their upset last year was their defensive front and putting pressure on the quarterback, and there is no reason to think that will change this year. Led by defensive ends Dadi Nicholas and Ken Ekanem,  the VT defensive front is just as good, if not better than last year. Nicholas and Ekanem are both All-ACC selections last year and very high draft prospects. If they can get some pressure on the Barrett/Jones and help stuff up the run game, it would make the game intriguing due to the recent injuries and suspensions at the receiver position and may force some young guys to step up and make Braxton Miller adjust to his new position much faster.

Hawaii: Marcus Kemp

Kemp is the best returning receiver for Hawaii. In all honesty, unless Colt Brennan makes a triumphant return to play for Hawaii, there is no player on this team who can truly impact the game enough to slow down Ohio State, but Kemp is interesting because he is returning after a great year last year, with 56 receptions and 797 yards. If he can get open a couple times early and maybe get in the end zone, it could at least put a seed of doubt in fans minds.

Northern Illinois: Drew Hare 

Drew Hare the leader of the offense for the huskies: the Quarterback. After throwing for 18 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions with over 2,300 yards, Hare is ready to start his season and help the Huskies stay at the top of the MAC. The best person to lead an upset over a highly ranked team is a quarterback who can pick apart the defense and make some big plays happen. The MAC is notoriously known for giving big teams good fights so this is certainly a game to watch.

Western Michigan: Corey Davis

Corey Davis is one the best players in the MAC. Most people feel like he will forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft next season. This year however, he is supposed to light it up, and he will have some early chances at the national spotlight with non conference games against Michigan State and obviously Ohio State. He is a workhorse who is a challenge to cover for any corner in College Football, so if there is any one who can make a difference in this one, it is Davis.

Indiana- Tegray Scales

Scales is not only one of the best linebackers in the conference, he is a young guy who can turn some heads nationally this year. In high school he was co-defensive player pf the year in Ohio, and he hasn’t slowed up since he hit college, if he can try and stop up the middle and play like the force he is, it could make for an intriguing match up. Especially since last year Indiana played OSU very tough. They are gonna be out to finish the job this year.

Maryland: Will Likely

Will Likely is one of the best corners in College Football. He is on almost every single national watch list defensively, and, according to Cleveland.com, he is number 19 on their list of ranking the Big Ten Players. The big thing for him in this game will be shutting down Micheal Thomas and making either a young guy step up, or putting a huge emphasis on the run game. A great way to beat a team better than you is to make them one dimensional,  and even though Likely can not do that single handedly, if he can at least shut down Thomas it could make for a good battle.

Penn State: Offensive Line

A lot of people think Christian Hackenburg is one of the best Quarterbacks in College Football and even has the potential to be a number one draft pick this year. The problem is, he never gets the chance to do anything due to his offensive line being abysmal. The offensive line has been terrible the past couple years, but there is a hope that this year they have grown and gotten better. If they have, and they give Hackenburg time in the pocket to pick apart the defense like he is capable of doing, it could make for a repeat of last year with the game coming down to the final plays

Rutgers: Kieth Lumpkin

Again, I want to say that there is not one certain player for Rutgers that can have an impact to a point that it affects the score of the game, but Lumpkin is a captain of the team and a guy that came back for his senior year to try and expand on Rutger’s bowl game victory last year. He will more than likely be tasked with stopping Joey Bosa so it could be fun to watch that match up unfold.

Minnesota: Briean Boddy-Calhoun and Eric Murray 

These 2 guys for Minnesota are arguably the vest pair of corners in the big ten. Boody-Calhoun snagged an impressive 5 interceptions last year and Murray finished a very respectable fourth on the team with 69 tackles. This could make a huge impact because these two have the ability to make the passing game extremely difficult and put an even bigger load on Zeke to have a great game. Also with Minnesota being a big ten contender, this could be a game Ohio State needs to bring their A game too.

Illinois- Jihad Ward

Jihad Ward may be the best player on this Illinois defense. Although he may miss the first couple of games due to injury, he is still poised to have a great year and to make some heads turn in the Big Ten. With the recent firing of Tim Beckham, Illinois is in for an interesting year, but a great game against Ohio State could be a repeat of 2007 when Illinois was unranked and upset an undefeated Ohio State, and I can bet that Ward would have a big part of it.

Michigan State: Conner Cook

This one is probably the most obvious choices on here because of how good Cook really is. He is one, if not the, best returning quarterbacks in College Football and his ceiling is only raising. Also, Cook will be out to get revenge. Ohio State came into his stadium last year and took away their very realistic playoff hopes. There will be fire in his eyes, and this is no doubt the game that is circled on his schedule. Expect a huge game from Cook and an even greater battle from the Spartans

That Team Up North: Jim Harbaugh

Yes, I am fully aware that this is not 1986 and Harbaugh does not play for TTUN, but I can promise you that if there is anybody on that team who can not wait to play OSU, it is Harbaugh. How incredible would he look if he came in and knocked OSU off a possible number one pedestal his first year? The players will be hungry and there are some players who I can see making a difference in this one, but no one will be more ready and fired up than Jim Harbaugh. You can count on that.

I do believe Ohio State will go undefeated and repeat as National Champions, but I would be naive to say that they will not hit a few bumps in the road and a couple of teams may give them pause. I think these players (or coaches) could have a big part in doing that.

  

Urban Meyer has stressed since day one as Ohio State’s head coach that the plan is not to redshirt players once they step foot on campus.  Obviously that plan does not work out for every freshman, but Urban has shown a willingness to let his youngest players perform early and often in their inaugural college football season.  Today we will take a look at some young Bucks who have excelled under Urban Meyer as true freshman and project who could make a similar impact in this years class.

Impact Freshman during Urban Era

• Joey Bosa – 44 tackles, 13.5 TFLs, 7.5 sacks and 1 TD
  • Biggest impact freshman under Urban Meyer at Ohio State.  Garnered Freshman All-America honors from multiple outlets at the conclusion of his stellar freshman season.  Ranked sixth in all of the B1G Ten conference in sacks while earning All B1G Ten Honorable mention.
• Curtis Samuel – 478 total yards from scrimmage (6.9 avg) 6 TDs
  • Samuel received more touches last season than any other true freshman under Urban Meyer.  69 touches in total for over 700 all purpose yards for the Buckeyes.  Became not only the main kick-off return man by seasons end, but also the #2 running back behind Elliot.  Samuel was electric with the ball in his hands and was a surprisingly physical blocker which led to his influx in playing time.  Samuel was the most well rounded offensive Freshman we have seen during Urban’s tenure.
• Raekwon McMillan – 54 tackles, 6.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks
  • Split time with fellow five-star MLB Curtis Grant, who was unselfishly McMillan’s mentor and partner in crime.  Raekwon played up to his billing while appearing in all 15 games for the Buckeyes during the Title run.  Named a Freshman All-American by numerous publications and has already assumed the starting middle linebacker spot for the Buckeyes this fall.
• Dontre Wilson – 460 yards from scrimmage (8.7 avg) 3 TDs
  • Wilson played in every game his freshman season including two starts during B1G Ten play.  He totaled nearly 1,000 all purpose yards as he was a main threat for the Buckeyes in the return game.  Dontre was slim coming out of high school and relied on his agility and speed to get by defenders.  Coach Meyer admitted to using Wilson primarily as a “decoy” and a “hood ornament” during his freshman campaign due to his inability to block downfield and beat press coverage.
• Ezekiel Elliot – 33 touches 285 yards (8.6 avg) 3 TDs
  • Behind El Guapo on the depth chart, EzE played heavily on special teams  during his freshman campaign.  We all remember his hit on kick-off coverage against Purdue (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt99HRQx3Xo), but Elliot was also able to shine offensively during mop up duty early in the season.  His breakout performance came against Florida A&M where he amassed 162 yards on only 14 carries in little over a quarter of action.  It was surely a sign of things to come for the Heisman Trophy candidate.

Projected Impact Freshman for 2015 Season

Urban places a huge emphasis on special teams and there is no better way to force yourself onto the field than excelling on special teams.  Every player listed below plays on the offensive side of the ball.  As of this writing, three of the four have already had their black stripes removed.  I personally love the linebacker class of Hilliard, Baker and Connor, but there is so much young talent in front of them (Dante Booker is going to shock some people) that I don’t believe they will play enough impactful minutes this year.

• Torrance Gibson
  • During the recruiting process, one analyst said that if TG classified as a WR he would have him at the top of his individual player rankings.  Has the size and speed to be an AJ Green type of receiver for the Buckeyes.  With the suspensions and recent injury to Noah Brown, the offense will be in need of a spark at the wide receiver position week one against Virginia Tech.  Gibson has the ability to stretch the field vertically and he has received glowing praise during camp.  I am excited to see how he develops now as a full-time WR for the first time in his life.
• Mike Weber (2nd player to lose black stripe)
  • Was already taking second team reps during camp behind Elliot before injuring his knee.  Prognosis says he wont be 100% for a couple more weeks but should be able to return early in the season.  This is a three year player at Ohio State – he is that good.  Nicknamed Baby Los (after Carlos Hyde) by his teammates, he said he broke off several long touchdown runs during the Buckeyes first scrimmage in camp.
• KJ Hill (3rd player to lose black stripe)
  • Was impressing coaches and teammates early in camp, and like I stated earlier, the Buckeyes have plenty of reps to go around at the wide receiver position week one.  I believe Hill will make the most of his opportunity and continue to steal reps away from his older teammates as the season progresses.  Already one of the better route runners on the team, Hill will continue to mold into a prototype receiver under the guidance (or torture) of coach Marotti.
• Isaiah Prince (1st player to lose black stripe)
  •  It is exceptionally difficult for lineman to shine while playing on either side of the ball (Joey Bosa is a freak) during their freshman season, so I will just say this regarding Isaiah Prince:  He is going to be really really really good.  You will see him quite a bit during mop-up duty early in the season, and he is already in the two-deep at RT behind Senior Chase Farris.

Which incoming freshman do you think might make a splash this season?

The 2015 recruiting class was one of the best in the country and is arguably the strongest unit within that class is the offensive line. Ohio State has a history of producing NFL caliber lineman throughout the years. With that being said, it was well- known that the Buckeyes really needed to bring in a nice o-line class to re-stock the cupboard, and that is exactly what they did. So let’s take a look at a few of these guys!

The first was probably the most high profile of all the o-lineman coming in this year. The 6’3″ 300 lbs Mathew Burrell of Woodbridge, Virginia was an absolute stud coming out of high school. His film was like watching a grown adult playing against the local 4th grade Pop Warner team. But it wasn’t just his on field play that made Mathew so attractive to every big time program in the country. It was also his big time personality. Mathew has no problem talking in a crowd, and is a guy that just seemed to have that leadership quality. So far in camp we have not heard a lot about Matt, but I would bet he is making an impact. As far as playing time goes it’s highly doubtful that Mathew will see any PT this year because the first team is so impressive, but as seen last year with Braxton things can change in a blink of an eye.

The next guy has been making a big splash so far in camp, but for a lot of buckeye fans he is a bit of a unknown because of the way his recruitment went. The 6’7″ 305 lbs Isaiah Prince was a big time recruit from Greenbelt, MD and was coveted by all the big time programs. At the end of the recruiting season it came down to the Buckeyes, Alabama, and (his hometown school) Maryland. Most people thought  he was going to end up staying home and going to Maryland, but Urban ,doing what he does best, was able to turn Price and get him to come to the buckeye state.  Ever since arriving in Columbus Prince has made an impact. In fact, he was the first freshman to lose his ” black stripe” and right now is on the two deep at the right tackle position. Prince has the potential to be a big time player if he keeps up the good work!

The next tower of a man the Buckeyes brought in this year is 6’7″ 320lbs Brandon Bowen. When you talk about a guy that looks like he should be playing on Sunday’s,this is the guy! Oh yeah… AND he is only a freshman. Brandon comes to Ohio from Draper, UT and brings the mountain landscape with him in the form of his size. It’s easy to get caught up in his size, but Brandon is also extremely athletic. Just like Mathew we have not heard a lot about Brandon from camp but hopefully he is putting in the work needed because his potential is through the roof.

Believe it or not there is another guy that is even bigger than both Brandon and Prince. 6’9″ 305 lbs Kevin Feder is a guy that you bring to every game just to let him get off of the bus first; simply for an intimidation factor. Don’t get me wrong Feder has a lot of upside. He is just a little rough around the edges, but let’s not forget that the Buckeyes have probably the best o-line coach in the counrty so give him a year or two and Feder could be a beast at the tackle position.

Finally the last guy in this class that has big time upside is 6’6″ 310 lbs,  Grant Schmidt.  Grant comes to Columbus from Sioux Falls, SD and was the only lineman able to enroll early in the spring to get a head start on the playbook and getting to know his teammates. Grant looks to be the guy to play the guard position opposite of Mathew in the future .

It looks like the Urban recruiting train has landed another great group of potential stars for the Buckeyes. Can’t wait to see how these guys develop.

On December 23, 1963, James Joseph Harbaugh was born at Mercy Hospital in Toledo, Ohio. Just 201 days later, Urban Frank Meyer III took his first breath in the same building. Today, they are the head coaches in The Greatest Rivalry in All of Sport, the opposite sides of a coin. Equal, but not the same.

Urban Meyer played defensive back for the University of Cincinnati, although I use the word “played” in the loosest sense. Barely seeing the field as a walk on, Meyer’s entire playing career is contained in a small paragraph in the 1985 Cincy media guide: “A reserve at safety … holder for PAT and FG attempts.” His time on the team wasn’t wasted, however; he used it to observe coaching techniques. (SPOILER ALERT: That comes in handy.)

Jim Harbaugh’s path was different to say the least. A star quarterback at Michigan, he was 24-5-1 as a starter. He finished second in the nation in pass efficiency and third in Heisman trophy voting in 1986. That season, he famously guaranteed a victory over Ohio State and a Rose Bowl appearance, a promise he delivered with a 26-24 win in Columbus.

On the other sideline that day was a young graduate assistant just starting out a coaching career that would take him from Earle Bruce’s Buckeye staff to Illinois State, Colorado State and Notre Dame before landing his first head coaching gig at Bowling Green in 2001.

That year also marked the end of Jim Harbaugh’s NFL career in which he started 140 games for four different teams and threw for 26,288 yards and 129 touchdowns. During the last eight years of that run, he worked as an unpaid assistant for his father, Jack Harbaugh, at Western Kentucky, where he helped recruit 17 of the players on WKU’s 2002 Division I-AA (now FCS) national championship team. After a couple of years coaching QBs for the Oakland Raiders, Harbaugh snagged the head coaching job at the University of San Diego, where he compiled a three-year record of 29-6.

In the meantime, Urban Meyer had translated his success at Bowling Green and Utah into a top-tier job at Florida. In his second year at the helm, he defied conventional wisdom and destroyed his former employer Ohio State in the 2006 BCS National Championship Game. Two years later, he would add another title to his résumé.

In 2007, Jim Harbaugh took over at Stanford, a program that, despite making some gains under Ty Willingham, had fallen off under the guidance of Buddy Teevens and Walt Harris. Steadily improving each season, Harbaugh delivered a 12-1 campaign in 2010 with the lone loss coming against an Oregon team that would appear in the national championship game.

2010 would be Urban Meyer’s last at Florida. After taking a leave of absence for health-related issues following the 2009 season, Meyer returned to the team at the request of athletic director Jeremy Foley. The Gators went 7-5, and Meyer resigned for good on December 8, 2010.

A month later, Jim Harbaugh became the head coach of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and led the team to a 13-3 regular season record and an appearance in the NFC championship game. This success also revitalized the stalled career of quarterback Alex Smith, who had played for Urban Meyer at Utah. The next two years were just as successful, with the team reaching at least the NFC championship game each season, and facing off against the Baltimore Ravens—coached by Jim’s brother John—in Super Bowl XLVII, a game the Niners lost by 3 points.

By then, Meyer had taken over at Ohio State, stabilizing a program reeling from disappointment after an impermissible benefits scandal led to the sudden resignation of coach Jim Tressel and a rocky season under interim coach Luke Fickell, who was nevertheless retained as a defensive coordinator and expert recruiter. Meyer delivered on his reputation as a master motivator by coaxing a 12-0 season out of a team that wasn’t allowed to participate in the post-season. He followed that up with another perfect regular season, before losing both the Big Ten championship game and the Orange Bowl. Last year, Meyer’s Buckeyes overcame long odds and more than their share of adversity to win the first ever College Football Playoff, despite being underdogs in their final three games.

Harbaugh’s Niners went 8-8 last year as his relationship with the team’s front office deteriorated beyond repair. In December, he and the team parted ways, although the amicability of that split depends on who you ask. At the end of the month, after much speculation about his future plans, Harbaugh was introduced as the next head coach of the Michigan Wolverines.

The two coaches now head up opposing armies in a war that predates either of them, a sports rivalry that began in the shadows of an actual dispute between the two states over a 468-square-mile strip of land that, yes, included the future site of the very hospital where both men were born. The Great State of Ohio won the land dispute. The winner of the Meyer-Harbaugh War remains to be seen.